National news in brief, 9/12

WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — A business executive who gunned down a police officer responding to a trouble call at his suburban Detroit house committed suicide, an autopsy found Tuesday.

Ricky Coley, 50, killed himself with a gunshot to the mouth, according to a report by Dr. Cheryl Loewe of the Oakland County medical examiner's office.

Authorities said Coley fired through a wall and door as police approached his room Sunday night, killing Officer Pat O'Rourke and precipitating a 20-hour armed standoff that ended Monday with Coley dead in a weapons-strewn bedroom.

The businessman, who was going through legal and marital turmoil, shot O'Rourke as officers responded to a report of a possible suicide attempt at his home in West Bloomfield Township, authorities said.

District of Columbia

IRS awards $104M to whistle-blower

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service has awarded an ex-banker $104 million for providing information about overseas tax cheats — the largest amount ever awarded by the agency, lawyers for the whistle-blower announced Tuesday.

Former Swiss banker Bradley Birkenfeld is credited with exposing widespread tax evasion at Swiss bank UBS AG. Birkenfeld himself served roughly two and a half years in prison for a fraud conspiracy conviction related to the case, which resulted in a $780 million fine against the bank and an unprecedented agreement requiring UBS to turn over thousands of names of suspected American tax dodgers to the IRS.

"The IRS today sent 104 million messages to whistle-blowers around the world — that there is now a safe and secure way to report tax fraud and that the IRS is now paying awards," Birkenfeld's lawyers, Stephen M. Kohn and Dean A. Zerbe, said.

Officials focus on military suicides

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is urging a new focus on preventing suicides, especially among military veterans — and is beefing up the nation's crisis hotline to help.

U.S. health officials said nearly 100 people every day commit suicide, and many more attempt it. The military has seen an alarming increase in suicides this year.

The federal government announced Monday it will boost staff by 50 percent at the national hotline — 1-800-273-TALK — that's open to military and civilians alike. It provided $55.6 million for state and local programs, and highlighted Facebook features that link distressed users to counselors.

New York

Boy, 8, takes car for spin, none injured

CHEEKTOWAGA — Authorities say 8-year-old boy escaped injury after taking his mother's car for a spin Monday through his Buffalo neighborhood and hitting several objects before his joy ride ended on a neighbor's lawn.